Thanks to Maria for reporting on the Muhlenberg presentation Thursday. I am still having a problem with my knee and decided not to attend and Dan is still in the hospital. Read her report here and check the link for information from Solaris.
As she notes, there will be other occasions for the public to find out more about the plans and voice their opinions and concerns.
Any new project will have to receive approvals from the land use boards as well and those meetings are always open to the public. Any material submitted to the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment may be reviewed in the Planning Office in City Hall before an application is heard.
Of course, the media can be used to share information and concerns. Besides the traditional letters to the editor or Op-Ed pieces, there is the wide-open field of social media at hand to get the word out on meetings or forums. The City Council has scheduled four Town Meetings, one in each ward, in early 2012, at which general issues may be aired.
It's a good time for some "citizen journalists" to step forward. The Citizens Campaign can suit you up for the role (phone booth and cape not included). Give it a try!
--Bernice
When is anyone going to understand that Solaris raped Plainfield buy taking over, not buying Muhlenberg, pulling all its money making resources to JFK, claiming it lost money, took all its endowments that were left to “Plainfield & Muhlenberg”. They took it all to Edison, lost 1000+ jobs, Doctors are moving out in Plainfield due to no medical facility and told us that no one was interested in the building. BTW, when did they buy the building? Who got the money, Plainfield? Seems you can take over a corporation but what about the real-estate? I guess if I keep telling you that I own “your” house long enough you will believe it and move out!
ReplyDeleteWake up Plainfield, we don’t need housing, we saw what happened to the great Senior Center. Oh yes, let me tell you that I don’t appreciate Mr. Assemblyman Green stating that (to condense) there is no hope for downtown and efforts should be spent on South Avenue, North Avenue and this ridiculous project. He also stated that South Plainfield contacted him to see if the project was real because they would ramp up their efforts to put more business in their area, to pull more people AWAY from using Plainfield businesses. Aren’t we trying to bring business INTO Plainfield? I say again, wake up Plainfield. Who do these people serve?
I attended the meeting last night and came away with such a feeling of hopelessness. I was left with the impression that this was a done deal and regardless of what was shared in that meeting last night JFK and Jerry Green have made the decision to demolition the hospitable and build so called “luxury apartments”. Personal I believe this deal was done four years ago, even before they closed Muhlenberg; the writing was on the wall.
ReplyDeleteThe last thing Plainfield needs is another apartment complex right in the middle of single family homes. These so called luxury apartments will become nothing more than a PROJECT and we all know this to be true. Plainfield does not have the leadership to erect and maintain luxury apartments. One might ask what Plainfield has to offer that will entice anyone that can afford and appreciate luxury apartments to move to Plainfield and the answer would be nothing. Without any doubt these 600 units will become occupied with nothing but section 8 tenants, drugs, gangs and eventually the demise of the neighborhood. There were many good and realistic options that were offered at the meeting last night that would bring commerce to our community and some needed tax relief. However, as I said the deal was made and the powers that be are determine to put up another PROJECT in Plainfield.
It appears that Plainfield cares very little about homeowners and would prefer to have a town full of renters that won’t challenge our elected official at voting time. It’s easy to garner votes from citizens when they are not tax payers and don’t realize how ineffective our government truly is and don’t really have anything invested in the community.
JFK stated last night that they were interested in engaging the community and homeowners. I ask, when will that be, once you get approval from the zoning board and the meeting would be nothing more than a worthless gripe session?
The figures JFK used for the number of new students entering the city is way off and unrealistic. The number per year for 50 students is more like $700K, $14,000 per child.
At this time Plainfield does not have a rental shortage, so where will the tenants come from to fill up 600 units? On Jerry Greens blog yesterday he spoke about Obama money for homes that are being foreclosure on. His idea is to loan the money to investors to purchase the properties, rehab them, if needed and turn them into rental homes. If we truly have a foreclosures crisis in Plainfield then his idea will only add to the rental inventory. We do not need any more rental PROJECTS!!
We are kidding ourselves if we really believe that we can get any kind of upscale retailers to embrace Plainfield. I don’t see that happening on any level!
Jim Spiers, made a comment last night about Plainfielder’s being afraid of new developments in the city. I resent your implication about space. You implied that the denser the area was the better chance we would have to attract retailers. What are we cockroaches just pile us all on top of each other regardless. Being that Plainfield is predominantly black and Hispanic your remarks were very rude and did not go unnoticed.
The real question that was not address last night would be who is to gain from this deal? I can name a few people, including elected official that stand to gain by doing a project of this size.
I am committed to going to every homeowner in the area to make them aware of what is going on and to put a stop to this before it gets and further.
JFK come up with another plan; this one is not going to work!
RC
please note the correction. this home is on the 600 block of belvidere avenue between ravine rd and denmark rd. in historic netherwood heights section of the city of plainfield nj
ReplyDeletelouise colodne
701 belvidere ave.
vice chair netherwood heights neighbors assoc.